Intelligent Affairs
by KrasnyCassandra
Summary: What happens when worlds, and lives, collide at a simple social event? Non-canon after season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Covert Affairs, or any of its associated characters and storylines. No material gain is intended or sought through the publishing of this story. (I can, however, be bribed with reviews and/or chocolate.)**

"Auuuuugie!"

Annie's sing-song chanting of his name was usually a foreshadowing of doom- his doom. The handsome tech-ops agent flung his hands in the air and turned to face the sound of her voice. "No. I will not, under any circumstances, baby-sit your nieces, wash your neighbor's dog, or go to a barbeque with Jai Wilcox."

She laughed, hard. He liked to imagine what she looked like when she laughed. Did she throw her head back and arch that long neck of hers? (He'd had one or two occasions to touch her- purely professionally, of course.) Did those big brown eyes sparkle, the skin wrinkling at the corners? Did her fair skin flush? Did…

"Auggie?" The playful, wheedling, tone was gone. She touched his arm. Both touch and voice were tinged with concern. He'd been standing there, in his blue oxford shirt, black vest, and entirely indecent tight jeans grinning at her in mock surrender. Then his face changed. He had that look he got when he was listening intently to something in his headphones. He wasn't wearing headphones, though, and there wasn't much that could make him look so … sad.

"Where were you?"

He shook his head, unwilling to dive into deeper emotional waters. "Just wondering how high a price to ask for the favor that you are, inevitably, about to ask me for."

She pouted. He was so arrogant, sometimes. The petulant little-girl part of her wanted to turn around and stalk right back out of his office. Sadly, though, she needed his help. _Again._ Really, it was galling how often she had to turn to this man for help. She vaguely recalled being an independent free-spirit before meeting August Anderson. Where had the self-assured world traveler gone? Why was she suddenly a clingy, helpless waif?

Auggie's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ok, now where did _you_ go?"

She smiled. Her fondness for him transformed her features. "Sorry. It's a wonder we get anything done around here."

Auggie adopted his superior tone and stance. "_I_ was working, before someone started singing my name."

"I wasn't singing! But I won't keep you. I _was_ going to ask if you'd help me out and be my plus one at this function I have to attend for my Smithsonian cover. Joan says I cannot get out of it and it is black tie."

He cocked his head to one side and pursed his lips. "Hmm. I have to dress up?"

"Yes. I'm sure you remember how." She was trying to keep a straight face, but she sensed the humor in his tone.

"Will there be lots of hot, lonely, bored, museum types?"

Annie's whole face wrinkled in pert disgust. "I don't think hot and museum should EVER go together, Auggie. But, yes, there will be champagne and young women. There might even be desperate young interns with half a brain cell."

"Sold. When are you picking me up?"

"You are so damned easy."

"Don't you wish you knew how easy?" He waived his hand in a shooing motion. "Be gone, temptress. Adults are working here."

She stuck her tongue out at him, not caring in the least that he couldn't tell what she was doing. Hmph. Maybe she should have asked Jai, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Auggie paced back and forth in his small apartment kitchen. Annie was late. He knew she would show up eventually, but the longer she took to arrive, the longer he had to worry about losing his cool. _It shouldn't be this hard_, he thought. _All I have to do is be myself, ok myself in a penguin get-up. It's not like it's a date- in fact, this is work. Yup, just work. I can handle work._ He mentally groaned. _Yeah right._

When she finally knocked on his door he nearly leapt across the floor. He took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. Leaning against the frame he gave her his best grin. "Aren't you sad you were late and therefore missed precious minutes teasing me about my ridiculous attire?"

While Annie had never seen her co-worker in a tuxedo, she had seen in several states of dress – and undress. That fact helped prepare her for the sight of the well fitted designer tux hugging his toned frame. That entirely too delicious image was an odd juxtaposition with his tousled curls – honestly how did a blind man manage to have such gorgeously arranged hair? – and boyish grin.

"Well, sadly, I am late. No time for compliments that you've probably heard a million times before. Come along Mr. Anderson." She reached out to take his hand and placed it gently on her forearm. As she ushered him out the door and down the hallway he moved his hand from her arm to her back. She winced as soon as she heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Whoa." Auggie's voice was a mixture of confusion and awe. "Annie what are you wearing?"

She reached behind her and grabbed the hand that was sliding down her spinal column. "It's called a dress. I'm sure you are familiar with dresses, though maybe that's only when they are crumpled on your floor." She placed his hand back at her elbow and silently thanked her luck that Auggie couldn't see her blush.

"That's so unfair Annie. Every other guy in the room will be admiring the entirely indecent amount of skin you seem to have on display. Why can't I look?"

_Because when you look I get goose bumps and cannot form complete sentences._

"Because your version of looking feels suspiciously like coping a feel. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you it is a simple, black, backless, dress. Nothing especially sexy or extraordinary."

He pouted. "I'd much rather judge that for myself."

"Mm hm." She opened the car door and placed his hands, both of them, on the frame so he could find his seat. "Trust me." She walked around to the driver's seat, climbed in and fastened her seat belt. She jumped when his hand touched her knee.

_How does he manage to find me the first time without missing or groping around? It's kind of.. whoa where's that hand going… _"Taking the idea of handler to a whole new level, are we?" She picked up his hand and placed it primly back on Auggie's side of the car.

"Well now I have to be worried about how _short_ the dress is, in addition to the disturbing fact that you were cheated and bought only the front half of a dress."

As she pulled out into traffic, Annie's sighed dramatically. "This your revenge, isn't it? This is your revenge for my making you dress up in a monkey suit."

Auggie relaxed against the seat back. "I know for a fact that I look Bond-esque when I wear a tux."

"You just made that up!"

"What?" He covered his chest with one hand and adopted a hurt expression. "I don't look hot? All those fawning ladies over the years _lied_ to me?"

"See, this is where you trick me into saying you look hot in a tux just so I can get you to admit that Bond-esque isn't a word."

"I would never stoop to such tricks. That would be Wilcox-esque."


	3. Chapter 3

Annie whispered a silent prayer of thanks for valet parking. Finding parking on the National Mall was a nightmare at any hour and even more so when a major event was taking place. While the car idled in the long line, she turned to smile at Auggie. He cocked his head sideways like a curious bird.

"What's the hold up?"

"There's a line for the valet." She watched his handsome face change from polite curiosity to an expression of tenderness. Then he smiled.

"Annie Walker, sometimes you floor me. You've forgotten I'm blind. Again."

She blinked and then laughed at herself. "Are you saying I should have asked for preferential treatment just because my date is blind?"

"If it gets us out of waiting? Uh, yeah!" He enjoyed hearing her laugh. All too often their work interactions were fraught with stress and the feelings surrounding the danger she always found herself in. It was nice, if rare, to hear Annie express a lighter emotion. "So, what exactly are we attending tonight?"

In her best museum docent voice, Annie replied: "The Freer and Sackler Galleries of Asian Art hold an annual black-tie gala and fundraiser to support Asian art education and preservation. Because of my cover employment with Smithsonian acquisitions, I am expected to attend. Joan said it would be a good idea, if only to make my face recognizable should anyone ask questions in the future."

"Do you know anything about Asian art?" By his wry tone it was obvious that Auggie thought that answer to his question was a resounding "no".

Annie stuck her tongue out at him. "I read my briefing books like a good little agent. Here's the valet."

"So," Auggie continued their conversation when she reached him on the passenger side of the car. "This will be a room full of rich people interested in Asian art? People who may or may not also be interested in, say, technology trades between Asia and the US?"

Annie would be lying if she said she hadn't had similar thoughts. She shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose it is possible that Joan had other reasons for urging me to attend. "

"Mm, I'd be more shocked if Joan _didn't_ have ulterior motives. Is there a line at the door?"

"Yes, but it's moving quickly. Are you in a hurry to find the mythical intern with half a brain cell?"

Auggie snorted and slid his hand down from her elbow to her hand. With a soft tug he pulled her slightly to the side. "I have something for you. Are you wearing a necklace?"

"Uh, no."

Auggie pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket. "Turn around please." Seconds later a small gold locket on a filigree chain dangled in front of Annie's face. She felt her friend's hands brush against her neck twice as he fastened the clasp.

"Thank you Auggie. It's pretty." She didn't quite suppress her shiver as he ran his fingers down her bare back. Before she could comment on his actions he had her elbow in a firm grasp again.

"I made it myself. Ok, I made the important bits."

"Ah. I take it the little diamond chip is actually a camera eye?"

"The camera focuses through the diamond. Which reminds me, try not to lose it, the bean counters will have my head. Inside the locket there's also an audio device that will record short bursts of conversation. You never know whose voice we might find in a crowded room."

"And you just happened to have this in your pocket in case we might need it?"

He grinned unrepentantly and pointed one long index finger at his own chest. "Eagle Scout, remember?"

"Here I thought you agreed to come for the joy of my company. Now I see it is all about trying out your new toy."

"Yup. Well, and the added bonus of that dress." He grinned and tried to relax as Annie led them into the room. The cacophony of over a thousand voices, mixed with a million different scents, sent his senses into over-drive. Auggie focused on the feel of Annie's skin, the smell of grapefruit, and the click of her heels. After the first few awkward introductions, the tech operative slid behind his partner, switching from her right to her left side and leaving her right arm free to shake hands.

Annie leaned over to whisper, "You're tense. Is everything ok?"

"Fine. I'm perfecting my over-protective-friend scowl. How's it working so far?"

Her giggle made him grin. "Mostly you just look constipated."

He went back to scowling. "You'd look this way too if your best friend was parading in front of the DC social circuit wearing half a dress."

"No, Auggie, I'd be doubled over with laughter if you were walking around in this dress." She was quiet for a moment. "I'm your best friend?"

He sighed. The thumb of his right hand stroked back and forth over her left elbow. "You know you are Annie. Stop doubting." He knew an instant of regret when he felt her body tense. _Too serious, Anderson. Make a joke and back off some._ "Hey, Annie, I was just…. What's wrong?"

"There's a man across the room glaring at me. I swear he's one of the street vendors Ben chatted up in Sri Lanka."

Auggie's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. "What have you gotten me into, Annie Walker?"

**A/N: I am in the process of moving my family across the country, so I might not have a chance to update this for a few days. Thank you for all the reviews and the story alerts.**


	4. Chapter 4

After that one, shock-induced, quip, Auggie turned serious. Using what Annie had come to think of as his mission voice, he asked: "Ok tell me about this guy. Wait, stop staring back at him. Come here." He pulled her against his side and turned her so that his body shielded her from most of the room. Annie noted, in the one calm portion of her brain, that he didn't remove the arm around her waist or the hand stroking her upper arm.

_Who's he trying to soothe, himself or me?_

"Annie?" He used the tone he normally took when she had just decided on some hair-brained, dangerous, scheme. In her head Annie referred to this as _big-brother-disapproves-voice._

"He's shorter than me, maybe 5'5", dark complected. He doesn't have any discernable scars or outstanding features. Honestly I don't think I would have noticed him except that he's glaring at me."

"Any chance you are wrong on your ID?"

Her nose wrinkled in frustrated thought. "No. I can clearly see his face while he's talking to Ben and it was definitely in Sri Lanka."

"You're sure it was the first time you were with Mercer?"

She was quiet, thinking, trying to place the face. Auggie knew the routine and let her work. _I wish I knew the exit routes and room layout. Nothing like going into an op blind- literally._

"That's it," she hissed, jolting Auggie from his thoughts. "That's the reason he's so recognizable. He was glaring at me then, too. It was definitely the first time we were in Sri Lanka. He made some remark about loose women."

He couldn't help it, the chuckle emerged from his chest before he could stop it. "Loose women?"

"Hush, you." She pinched the bicep of the arm he had wrapped around her.

"Oh for now, Walker, but blackmail material like that cannot go unexploited." He chuckled again. "Well if he only knows you as some beach floozy hanging on Mercer, he cannot very well blow your cover. For all he knows I'm yet another rich American you are seducing." All he got for that remark was an authentic Annie Walker snort of derision. "What's of top concern right now is why a street vendor – who may or may not be one of Mercer's network- is at a D.C. arts gala."

She slipped out of his protective hold and steered him toward the far side of the room. "Let's play this out. I can play the ditzy acquisitions gal if he approaches us. Just follow my lead."

"Ah the old "blonde leading the blind" protocol. Excellent."

It was her turn to laugh, although hers came out more as a tense giggle than his hearty chuckle. She leaned her head against his upper arm. "Oh Auggie."

He reached over to pat the hand clutching his forearm. "There there, dear. Incidentally, this means you owe me another night out on the town so that I can troll for co-eds. There's no way you're leaving my side, now."

Before Annie could indignantly ask if she was his wing-man, a voice behind them stopped them both mid-step.

"I knew there was something different about you. Now I know why."

**A/N: Ok this so short as to be insulting to refer to it as a "chapter", but I heard that line of dialogue in tonight's episode and the plot lines exploded in my brain. There's much more to come, but I HAVE to finish packing.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Breathe Anderson_, was the first thought that screamed through Auggie's head. _Breathe and try to act like running into her former lover is just a funny coincidence. Yeah, har har, fancy meeting you here, bastard._

"Ben?" Annie turned around, shock written across her pretty face. To her credit, it was only a second before she recovered. She laughed and threw her arms around Ben, hugging him tightly. "Oh my God," she shouted for the benefit of nearby strangers. "I have missed you SO much! What are you doing here, gorgeous?" With her mouth next to his ear, she hissed "What the hell is going on, Ben?"

Mercer took a moment's selfish pleasure and inhaled deeply against Annie's soft neck. He didn't let her go, even when she tried to pull away. "I suspect Arthur Campbell had a hand in this. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here," he whispered back.

"Annie?" Auggie's tone sounded more amused than questioning. "I assume you've encountered an old… friend?" _If I'm really smooth I can "accidentally" punch him in the face when I "try" to shake his hand. Right, and after that Annie and Joan can take turns tearing off strips of my hide._

Agent Walker finally managed to detach herself from Agent Mercer's grip. Entirely fake smile plastered on her face, she draped herself along Agent Anderson's side. "Auggie love, this is my dear, _dear_, friend, Ben. He and I were… friends… a few years ago."

"How charming," Auggie muttered and extended his hand.

"Ben, Auggie is my date for the evening. We've been seeing each other for, oh, weeks and weeks now. Isn't that right darling?"

_Uh, wait … what? _"Has it been weeks? Time flies when we're together, cupcake." _And now I want to punch _myself_. How did I get mixed up this farce?_ Annie dug her nails into his arm. _Apparently Miss Walker disapproves of that particular endearment. So noted._

Ben's handshake was firm, but not excessively so. He was either above the petty territorial routine of trying to crush another man's hand, or he didn't think Auggie was worth the effort. _Keep thinking that, pretty boy. I'll snap you like a twig._

"Pleasure to meet you, Auggie. I so rarely get to meet Annie's friends. It is nice to know someone has been looking out for her while I've been away. Tell me, did she drag you along to this, or are you the Asian art enthusiast?"

"I go where I'm told." Auggie smirked. "You know how it is. The lady says "put on a tux" and I say "yes ma'am"." He hid the wince brought on by Annie's nails digging deeper into his flesh. He dipped his head to the side where Annie was pressed chest to thigh against him and nuzzled her neck. _Ahh the perks of field work._ "See what you can pry out of him. Remember, we're recording everything," he whispered in her ear. In a louder voice, but with his mouth brushing against her hairline, Auggie said: "Darling, why don't you catch up with Ben. I'm going to see if I can find the bar."

"Uh, ok. The wall is twenty feet away at your 5 o'clock. Follow that around the corner to your right and another couple of yards should bring you to the bar. Don't get lost!"

Ben watched Annie watch Auggie glide away. She was still smiling, but the skin around her eyes puckered with worry. "So that is the famous August Anderson."

Her hazel eyes cut back to him sharply. With fluid motions she linked arms and pulled him to a more secluded spot. It did not escape Ben's notice that their new location still left Annie with a clear view of the room's exits and the bar. She was really good at this. Part of him was turned on by her adept field work. The rest of him mourned the loss of her carefree innocence. "You know Auggie?"

The question snapped him out of his reverie. "Only by reputation and tidbits from Jai."

Annie, Ben noted, had not lost her ability to convey several emotions with one, uncouth, snort. "Yes I'm sure Jai was very revealing. What are you doing here Ben? More importantly, why am I getting the evil eye from some street vendor you knew in Sri Lanka?"

"That's Tharindu. He's done well for himself. He now owns several businesses in Colombo."

"Well enough to afford a trip to America and spend his time staring at artwork?"

"I believe there are several interesting Buddhist pieces in this collection." Ben choked down a laugh at Annie's skeptical glare. "There's a meeting of NAM leaders this week."

"Oh. Because of the IMF meetings downtown?"

Mercer tapped one finger on the tip of her nose. "Beautiful AND smart. I adore you, Annie Walker." Her skeptical scowl turned into a full-on glare, but he ignored the warning signs. "Yes. The Non Aligned Movement nations want to decrease the International Monetary Fund's influence on emerging economies. Tharindu is here for the conference."

"And you're here to keep an eye on him."

"Well, and to see you." He folded her hand into his and squeezed. "You look gorgeous."

She told herself not to let Mercer sweet-talk her into letting her guard down, but his touch felt so natural and comforting. "I have a feeling Joan's reasons for insisting I attend had less to do with maintaining my cover and a lot more to do with keeping an eye on you."

This time his grin was more leer than playful. "Feel free to keep whatever you like on me, Annie. Speaking of which, why don't get fetch a cab for Anderson and let me take you home?"

Annie turned her head away while pulling her hand from his grip. "No, Ben."

When he didn't say anything else or ask for an explanation, she turned her head back to look at him. He was watching her closely. "I was right, you are different. I could kill them for what they've done to you." His features turned hard. It was look Annie was more accustomed to seeing when they were facing deadly situations. "Arthur and Joan need to be strangled with their own plots, but for now I'll settle for beating Anderson to a pulp."

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update this. Moving has been an adventure. I even channeled some of Annie's propensity for getting into ridiculous situations and injuring myself!**

**Anyway, I do not own Covert Affairs. No copyright infringement is intended and no monetary gain is to be had from this work.**

**This chapter is less A/A and more Ben than I would like, but the bunnies insisted on a PLOT. (insert eye roll) Thanks for sticking around and I promise that flirtatious banter shall make a roaring comeback- just as soon as Ben gets snapped like a twig.**


	6. Chapter 6

Ben seemed to have forgotten that Annie's physical instincts were just as acute as her intellectual ones. Her hand shot out to latch down hard on his forearm. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, Mercer, but you better snap out of it ASAP. I cannot believe you would stand here and threaten my friend right in front of me! My BLIND friend, I might add. That's _so_ classy. Are you so twisted that you think beating up a handicapped man is going to make me change my mind about going on vacation with you?" She nearly spit the words. Given that her mouth was inches from his face, he counted himself lucky that she wasn't out-right spitting – or biting.

Ben took a deep breath. "Sorry." He raised both hands, difficult as it was with Annie's vise grip on his arm, in a gesture of surrender. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't really, you know that." His blue eyes pled for forgiveness.

Annie's temper cooled a notch. "Damn straight you wouldn't. I'd hate to have to watch Auggie break all your limbs." She said it with a smile, but Ben wasn't entirely sure she wasn't serious.

"You'd hate it?" His mouth quirked.

"Oh yes, because I'd have reams of paperwork to do and Joan would tear me a new orifice for getting him into trouble – again."

"Miss Walker you know very well that Joan holds me solely responsible for my antics."

Auggie's voice over her shoulder made Annie jump and back away from Ben. She winced with chagrin when she realized that she'd been so caught up in her conversation with Mercer that Auggie had moved back from the bar without her noticing. How much of the previous conversation had he heard?

"Drink?" He held up a champagne flute with an innocent grin. "None for you Annie, I want to get home in one piece."

"She prefers beer anyway."

Auggie's smile became more of a smirk. "Only when there's no tequila to be had."

_Score one for me, pretty boy. You may know where all her freckles are, but I know how to get her talking about the demons she tries to keep locked away. Most of which are your fault, I might add._

"By the by, your man Tharindu just had a very interesting conversation with another gentleman; a gentleman with an Indonesian accent." He listened to the tell-tale silence as both of the other agents focused all of their attention on the far side of the room. Their breathing slowed. Neither spoke. They didn't make large movements. Mercer's breathing remained even – _Probably what makes him such a good sniper,_ Auggie thought - but Annie's suddenly rushed inward.

"He's leaving." She sounded slightly panicked.

Auggie wished he could reach out and put a hand on her shoulder, but he wasn't entirely sure of their relative position. The last thing he needed was to be feeling up Mercer while trying to soothe Annie. "Easy," he whispered. "The unknown gentleman wanted to discuss business. Tharindu responded "Not now, Mercer is here." We cannot run after them. Even if we could, we wouldn't learn anything tonight."

Ben swore.

"Wait a minute…" Annie's tone dripped suspicion.

_Ahh, wondered when that would occur to you._

"Auggie…"

"Annie…"

"How is it you knew the Sri Lankan's name?"

Ben chuckled. "Smooth, Anderson." He reached out and tapped the locket resting on Annie's chest. "Your work, I presume?"

Auggie winced as the tap reverberated in his ear piece. He cocked his head to one side and removed the normal-appearing Bluetooth. "Did I forget to mention that the locket can transmit audio to a designated device within one hundred yards? I'm sorry, could have sworn that came up in the tech briefing…"

There was a strange, muted, sound from Annie, not quite a swallow and not quite a puckering of the lips. It wasn't the first time he'd heard her make the sound, but for the life of him he could not figure out what she was doing. Ben's shocked laugh and exclamation cleared up the mystery.

"I cannot believe you just stuck your tongue out at him! Are you three? He cannot even SEE you!"

_Oh, Agent Mercer, thank you for that gift. For that I shall forgive you threatening me._

"Shut up, both of you. Try and focus, please. Obviously Tharindu has business here he doesn't want Ben to know about. Neither of us can shadow him, since he knows both of us. Auggie you're blown too, since he's seen us together. Ben you need to request an alternate agent to follow Tharindu for the rest of the trip." Both men stood there staring at her. "What?"

Ben said, to Auggie, "Isn't she adorable when she's bossy?"

"It is rather endearing."

She snorted and grabbed Auggie's hand. Slamming it down on her forearm, she nodded curtly to Ben. "Good evening Mr. Mercer."

Ben blinked rapidly. "You're leaving?"

"I'm making one more circuit of the room so that anyone making enquires will have multiple confirmations of my presence. Then I'm going to the gym to beat on something." She glared at him, leaving Ben no doubt regarding the target of her anger.

"Uh, hang on, is it too late for me to take you up on that offer of a cab? I know I look dashing in this tux, but I'm not really up for Bond-esque beating." Auggie looked wildly about, as if preparing to flee.

"Har har. Why don't you go back to perfecting that _silent_ scowl of yours?"

Ben watched her drag Anderson across the room. When he'd first seen them together, he'd instantly decided that Annie had a new love in her life and Anderson was it. Now, though, he wasn't convinced. There was chemistry there, but something was… off.

Across the room, Auggie pulled up mid-stride. "All right, slow down tiger. Anyone watching us right now will definitely make note of your presence – because they are worried you're dragging me out the door to kill me. This is a social event, remember? Smile. Be charming. Stop charging through the masses."

Her breath huffed out, but she slowed. "Sorry. He just makes me so… And he insinuated that Joan and Arthur and even YOU had "done" something to me. Doesn't he get that he is the… but of course you know what we said don't you?"

"Yup. The audio even gives me the complete sentences you seem to be struggling with."

She huffed again and started dragging him toward a door. Of course he didn't _know_ it was a door until he heard the bar mechanism click under her palm. The sounds of the crowded gallery faded as the door swung shut behind them.

"You're not really going to try to kill me in a stairway, are you?"

This time she only sighed. "No. Restrooms are this way."

He listened intently. There were no other human sounds in the narrow hallway. Her heels clicked on the tile; her breath came in short little pants. She really _was_ upset. She stopped and used slight pressure on his elbow to turn him to his left.

"This is the men's room. Ladies' is around the corner. I'll meet you back here in five." She moved his hand from her arm to the door. He turned his head over his shoulder in her direction. She was close enough, still, that he dropped his voice to a sultry whisper.

"By the way, Annie Walker: if you ever stick your tongue out at me again, I'll take it as an invitation to teach you what tongues are for." He stared, dark brown eyes unblinking, at her for a few seconds to let his words sink in. He heard her breath catch in her throat. With the smallest quirk of his lips he turned his head away. "Catch you in five," he said as he pushed open the door and entered the men's room.

**A/N – Covert Affairs and the associated characters do not belong to me, blah blah..**

**If they did, I might not have spent so much time trying to remember what color Ben's eyes are. Geez, the things that cause writer's block….**

**I'm overwhelmed by the helpful reviews and messages. I appreciate all of the constructive feedback – y'all help keep me on track and keep the character portrayals honest.**


	7. Chapter 7

During the drive back to Auggie's apartment, Annie was so busy mulling over her co-worker's words, and actions, that she nearly missed noticing they had a tail. Auggie had been equally quiet, though Annie didn't think she wanted to know what it was _he_ had been thinking about.

"Aug?"

"Mm?"

"I think we have a tail."

He sighed, softly. "Annie you've been doing this job, very well, for over a year now. If you "think" we have a tail, then we have a tail. Just say so."

"Thanks for the pep talk." She just managed to avoid sticking her tongue out at him. She turned her head to check the blind spot on her left, thankful that Auggie was blind and couldn't see her blush.

_Does he think I'm thirteen and don't know what tongues are for? What does he think he knows that I don't?_ Thinking about all of the possible answers to that question had her blushing even more.

Meanwhile, blessedly oblivious to Annie's thoughts, Auggie pulled out his phone and tapped a few numbers. "Hi mom. Yes, we are headed home now. I promised you I would call, so now I've called. Yes Annie is a very safe driver. We've only been pulled over once. Mom! I'm kidding. Yes she is a dear for putting up with me. No I won't tell her you said so. Goodnight mother."

Mouth curved into a wry expression, Annie said, "I could almost believe that was your mother you were talking to."

"You never know who might have a good cell intercept capabilities."

"And if they check the phone records and see that your mother never received a phone call?"

"That would take a few hours time for the bad guys and a warrant for the Federal- Bad- Idea guys. Not that I think the FBI are the ones tailing us. Although," his voice took on a teasing tone. "That agent you keep running into does seem to have the hots for you."

"Shut up Auggie. Who did you really call?"

"I actually did dial my mother's number, but from my encrypted work phone. Tech ops picks up that signal first and reroutes it to a duty officer. He, or she, will interpret my conversation and forward the information to Joan. I expect a call in about 5.. 4…" His phone buzzed. "I awe even myself."

Annie rolled her eyes. She checked her mirrors. "What's the plan?"

"Safe house, 103 Kentucky Ave, SouthEast."

"Ok, but I was driving to your place, which really wasn't on the way…"

Auggie relayed that information to the duty officer on the other end of the phone. "There's a liquor store two blocks over from here, take the next right. It will make a good excuse for driving out of our way."

Ten minutes and two ridiculously over-priced bottles of tequila later, they walked back to the car. Annie checked the small parking lot behind the store and the cars along the narrow street. The black Honda that had been trailing them from the gallery was not in sight. Hoping that the curious followers had lost interest and moved on, she slid back into the driver's seat. "Home sweet safe house, here we come. How do we get in?"

"Well I'm not much for picking locks these days, not quickly anyway…" He smiled when he heard her frustrated groan. "Easy there, just trying to lighten the mood. There's a realtor's lockbox on the door with a keycode. A146D. Don't make too many turns on the way there. Better to let them think they are just following us home from a quick tequila run."

"Right." Annie gripped the steering wheel just a little tighter as she resisted her instinctual need to out-think or out run whoever was following them. Whoever _might_ be following them, she thought, since there had been no signs of surveillance since leaving the liquor store. She noticed Auggie flexing his fingers repeatedly. "Wishing you had your computer and the rest of your gear?"

"Nothing like being literally and figuratively blind while in the field." This time his sigh was self-pitying.

"I'm so sorry Auggie. I never meant for this to turn into…"

He cut her off. "Stop it. I got to dress up and play James Bond for the evening instead of playing internet Scrabble or listening to Jai try new pick-up lines at Allen's. I got to meet the legendary Ben Mercer. And," he turned his head to flash one of his signature grins, "I got to feel that dress, or lack thereof."

She couldn't help it, laughter bubbled out of her. "You are so bad."

"I believe the word is incorrigible. Or perhaps you were thinking of Bond-esque?"

"Obnoxious, comes to mind." Annie deftly maneuvered into a parking spot on the street. Once she'd opened Auggie's door, she gave him a play by play of her observations. "We are 4 doors down from 103. Big trees and planters. Quiet street. Not many lights on in the houses. No traffic at the moment. Two steps up here. Ok now seven steps up, a landing, two short steps. Crap."

"What is it?"

"There's a car moving slowly up the street, and they aren't looking for parking. They've passed three open spots already."

"Get the door open and get us inside."

"Working on it." Annie grabbed the key from the little lockbox, shoved it into the lock and wrenched the door open. With her free hand she grabbed Auggie's arm, pulled him roughly inside and slammed the door. The throw rug just inside the door caught on her heel while her weight and momentum were still shifted from pulling her friend inside the house. Annie stumbled, pulling Auggie with her. Her back hit the wall, hard. She muttered "Oof!" as his chest collided with hers.

"So this is what Tharindu meant about "loose woman". I'm flattered, Miss Walker." He stroked his hand up her bare arm, found her cheek, and patted it lightly. "Where'd you stash that tequila? If you're going to take advantage of me, at least do it properly." He was just pushing away from the wall, and Annie's intoxicating scent, when someone knocked politely at the door.

The two agents reactions were widely different. Annie turned to look at the door. Auggie grabbed the arm he had just let go of and threw them both to the floor. Half a second later, rounds from a large caliber handgun shattered the window beside the door and chewed into the walls surrounding the frame.


	8. Chapter 8

The gunshots were still echoing down the hallway, a dog was barking frantically in the next house, and every sound was slightly muffled by the weight of Auggie's chest on her head, but Annie was almost certain she heard him mutter something about "new code name butterfly". She didn't have time for contemplating that random comment, though, because the both of them were moving just seconds after hitting the floor.

"SOP calls for a safe room, probably underground in a basement area, most likely located off kitchen." Auggie panted out this bit of information as he and Annie half crawled, half shuffled, down the hallway.

"K." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the right. There was a crashing sound behind them. It sounded very much like the gunman was kicking at the door. Two more shots were fired at the door. Auggie grunted sharply even as Annie managed to find the pantry door in the corner of the dark kitchen. She yanked it open, praying that that it wasn't really a pantry at all, and whispering a "thank you" when her prayers were answered.

"There's a keypad!"

From the front of the house came a horrible crunching sound of cracking wood.

Auggie's words were clipped, but otherwise calm. "There will be a small metal strip to the right of the keypad. Run your right index finger over it, press firmly. Go slowly."

She didn't have time to argue with this inane instruction; she did what she always did on operations – she listened to the calm voice in her ear telling her how to get out of trouble. The door beeped once and swung open. She tugged him into the much darker room and slammed the heavy metal door shut behind her.

"Hang on, I'll find the lights."

Auggie's chuckle was accompanied by a gentle squeeze of her hand. "Don't rush on my account. I'll just have a seat here on the floor." He slid to the floor, an action she felt more than saw.

"Oh, right." She found the panel of light switches and flipped them on. She relayed her visual inventory of their new quarters with the man sitting on the floor. "Metal walls. You're against the door. It will stop anything they can throw at it, right?"

"Unless they're carrying depleted uranium shells and a handy tank to fire them with. Or, you know, a good bunker buster."

"Cheery. There's a shelving unit against the wall at your 3 o'clock. Five shelves holding basic staples: bottled water, power bars, flashlight, thermal blankets, first aid supplies, toilet paper. Huh, what do they expect us to do with.. oh. There's a sort of alcove in this back corner, your 1 o'clock. Camp toilet. Classy."

He chuckled again. "Hopefully we won't be here long enough to worry about the facilities."

"Right. There's a beat-up sleeper sofa on the wall directly opposite where you are sitting. Only other things in the room are a metal table, folding chair, and an ancient looking PC."

"Tease, you saved the best for last. See if that computer will power on."

If Annie found it strange that he stayed on the floor while she sat at the computer, she didn't mention it. He heard her settle on the chair as it creaked. The computer's fans whirred and hummed with all the subtlety of a C-130 at take off.

"Hewlett Packard?"

"How'd you know?"

"Those power supply and motherboard fans sound positively medieval. Will it let you log-on?"

"There's a screen here asking me to select agency."

"And?"

"Well I haven't selected anything yet. I was waiting for instructions from the master."

"Cute." His playful smirk cheered her up. "You should have your standard Agency log-on screen now."

"Yes. My credentials or yours?"

He scoffed. "Like your entry level clearances will get us anywhere. Username, Anderson, A. Password: 4 Sierra November Alpha Foxtrot Uncle 7 dollar sign Whiskey Tango Foxtrot 5."

Annie typed in what he told her, then, blinked at the screen. "Seriously, Auggie?"

"I promise. I also promise to change it the moment we are back in the office, so no snooping, Miss Walker." He waited a moment. "You in?"

"Yes."

"There should be IM icon in the taskbar. Open it please."

"Done."

"You sound disgruntled."

"I feel like an especially stupid secretary."

"Nonsense. You're definitely more of a Moneypenny – brains AND looks."

"Har har. You want the duty officer, Joan, or someone else?"

"You are seriously high on adrenaline if you think I'm going to send an emergency message to Joan at this hour on a Friday night. Send the duty officer this message. "Shots fired 103 Kentucky Ave. In safe room. Recommend locate and secure Agent B. Mercer. Awaiting further instructions – Anderson and Walker." Just leave the window open when you're finished, it will ping us when there is a reply."

"He, or she, will just call Joan anyway."

"I know, but this way her anger is diffused through channels." He hoped his wince of pain wasn't as obvious as it felt.

Message sent, Annie rested against the seat back. She replayed the previous thirty minutes in her head. Her training dictated that she not form conclusions based on incomplete information, but her instincts insisted that the men shooting at her, and Auggie, were connected to Ben's man, Tharindu. That worried her, and it obviously worried Auggie as well, since he'd asked the duty office to locate Ben.

"Thanks."

Auggie, who still sat with his head leaned back against the door, asked: "Hmm?"

"For saving my life, again. I would have looked right through that window to see who was knocking."

"I doubt that, but you're welcome. Your instincts are almost always good Annie. Listen to them, especially in situations like this."

Annie's eyes narrowed in concentrated focus when she saw him wince.

"Auggie?"

"Annie?"

"Get up."

He sighed. "I'd really rather not. This floor is surprisingly comfortable."

"Damn it Auggie!" She hissed the words. He heard the chair legs scratch against the metal floor. He braced for the coming fury. The sound of her heels on the floor clicked past him, then returned. There was a whisper of silk against nylon and a sudden bloom of heat near his leg. "Arm or leg?"

"Are you asking the location of the injury or where I'd prefer to be punched?"

"That question, you stubborn ass, is "head or gut". We'll get to that in a minute."

Realizing that he couldn't put her off any longer, Auggie raised his left arm slightly. "Think I caught a ricochet in the back of this arm. Also, there might be a splinter in my right calf."

Annie looked down at the leg closest to her and immediately saw the dark stain on his trouser leg. "You are going to need to see your accountant about a tax write-off for this tux." Before he understood exactly what she was saying, Annie used the first aid scissors to cut open the back of the pant leg. "Ok, the term splinter doesn't really do this justice. This thing is as long as my index finger and twice as thick." He jumped when her warm hand closed around his lower leg. "This might hurt."

"Will I get a cool GI Joe band-aid and a lollipop, Nurse Walker? OW!"

"All done. Sorry, no cartoon band-aids. You'll have to settle for a gauze pad and boring white tape, for now. The EMT's will probably want to butterfly that."

Dark brows furrowed beneath chestnut curls. "That bad? It really doesn't hurt that much, more of a sting."

Annie was too busy swimming in guilt to answer him. She bandaged the leg as gently as possible. With a considering stare, she tried to work out how to get her injured friend off the floor and to the sofa. Auggie's nonchalant attitude about "catching a ricochet" unnerved her. She wasn't entirely sure she could keep her composure if she removed his jacket and found a bullet lodged in his flesh.

"Hey" He found her hand, still resting lightly under his knee, and squeezed it. "You went away on me again. Everything ok?"

Her voice shook with nerves. "Not really. I got you shot at. Those same guys might be aiming for Ben right now. I asked you out on a simple cover-story op and you're _bleeding_. I'm really _not_ ok right now."

The former special ops soldier sighed softly. "Help me stand up, Annie. Help me get this jacket off." He wanted her focused on immediate problems, not sinking into her thoughts. "You know," he said as she moved behind him and grasped the collar of his tux, "This really isn't how I imagined this date ending."

"What, you weren't going to have the mythical "hot intern" strip your clothes off you?"

"Strip yes, cut, not so much." He hissed a curse as the fabric pulled away from under his upper arm.

"Auggie! I'm so sorry. Oh hell that looks bad."

"Annie!" He barked her name in his best drill sergeant imitation. "Focus. Drop that jacket and help me get these cufflinks out." The two of them working together, even with Auggie using only one hand, managed to unbutton his shirt and remove his cufflinks. Due to intense concentration on not causing him any more pain than she already had, Annie barely noticed the toned muscles laid bare right in front of her nose. As she pulled the shirt completely away from his chest, there was a soft clink of metal hitting metal. Annie knelt down and picked up the misshapen lump that had once been a bullet.

"We'll want that later. For now just put it on top of my shirt and tell me how deep this gash is."

Marveling for the one millionth time at how Auggie could perceive what was happening around him without the benefit of his sight, Annie dropped the bullet as he instructed and moved back behind him again. As gently as possible she lifted his arm – corded muscles bunched and stretched across his back and shoulders – to get a closer look at the injury. "There's a fairly deep two inch gash on the underside of your arm and a much longer, shallow, cut across your ribs. I need to get this bleeding stopped."

Auggie winced but otherwise remained stoic as she worked. He didn't want to distract her, again, by showing how uncomfortable he was. Her fingers glided over his skin, giving him goose bumps. He gritted his teeth when she applied pressure to the wad of gauze pressed against his arm, but that was more in response to the soft caress of her breath against his back than the pain from his wound. After several agonizing minutes, she declared herself satisfied with the make-shift bandage and led him to the couch.

They leaned against each other on the couch, Auggie covered with a blanket, Annie toeing off her heels. She thought about the seconds after the shooting and remembered his muttered exclamation. "Hey, what was that you said about a butterfly?"

Auggie laughed for the first time in half an hour. "You've heard of 'chaos theory'? A butterfly flaps its wings and on the other side of the world a hurricane forms? My new working theory is that you are the butterfly. Chaos coalesces around you."

She wrinkled her nose in outrage and, before she had time to think about her actions, stuck her tongue out at the blind man beside her.

**I hope you'll accept this much longer chapter as a conciliatory offering since it took me so long to post. No? Well, ok, stop sending hate mail, I'll get the next chapter up ASAP!**


	9. Chapter 9

In shock at her own actions, Annie sucked in her breath. She leaned away as Auggie turned his head slowly to the side so that he faced her. His lips tilted lazily at the corners until they parted in a dazzling smile.

"_The cat that got the cream" just took on a whole new meaning._

Annie didn't have long to contemplate that thought before the computer chirped. She leapt up, happy for the distraction and purposely ignoring Auggie's knowing chuckle. An IM flashed on the screen.

"It's from the duty officer. "Extraction team outside safe room door. Use extraction protocol and return to office. Hera's orders."" Annie frowned at the screen. "Who's Hera?"

"That's Joan's codename. It's incredibly obvious, but sets a certain… tone. Well, help me up Agent Walker. We've been summoned and it's never good to keep Hera waiting."

Annie was afraid to pull Auggie to his feet. He kept trying to not lean on her as they made slow progress across the room. "Oh would you just give up and admit you need help?" Annie snarled the question, finally exasperated with her friend's behavior."

"Absolutely. Just as soon as you show me how that's done…." Auggie could be just as sarcastic as Annie. He was doing his best to hide the pain in his side. _Her brain must really be fried if she thinks I'm going to put all my weight on those slender shoulders- figuratively or literally._ "Did this room expand while we were on the couch?"

"Sure feels like it. Hey… I don't _know_ the extraction protocol. How do we know this isn't all a set-up?"

He scoffed. "Because hacking into a CIA IM feed is an easy thing to do on the fly – just as easy as learning how to type terse sentences like a good little duty officer and use inter-agency codenames? Come on Annie – that's what we nerds call "mad skillz". Those goons after us tonight just aren't the type. Besides, we have a protocol to establish who's on the other side of the door."

"Well you aren't looking out a peep hole."

Auggie winced. Annie saw it. "Oh, damn it, you know that's not how I meant it. There IS no peephole. It's a solid steel door."

"There should be a video link on the computer. There will be a camera outside showing us who is there. He or she will flash their Langley pass card at the camera." He tried not to groan too loudly as she gently leaned him against the wall beside the door.

"And if they don't?"

"Always the optimist…." Auggie sighed and ran a hand over his jaw. "If the people outside the door aren't Agency, then we have very big problems – and you don't open the door. They _are_ Agency, though, so slide those irresistible heels back on, and let's get out of here."

Annie checked the video. She tugged at the ankle strap of her left shoe and glanced around at the mess in the safe room. Bandage wrappers, bloody gauze, and discarded antiseptic wipes littered the floor beside Auggie's bloodied shirt . She bent to pick up his jacket and draped it across his bare shoulders. "The shirt's a total loss, but I'm not sure my reputation can handle you walking out of here with _nothing_ on the top half of your body."

He gave her a crooked grin. "Because nothing screams "Hot, sexy, spy- loving like a severe limp and blood dripping down your side…" Pretending to be serious, he frowned. "Actually…. That _does_ sound like the aftermath of some encounters."

"You are _so_ amusing when you're suffering from blood loss. This is me not punching you, despite the fact that you so richly deserve it." Annie unlatched the door and pulled it open. Three large men in suits, with guns drawn but pointed away from Annie and Auggie, stood in the small townhouse kitchen.

"Agents Walker and Anderson? Follow me please. I will drive you directly to Langley."

"Agent Anderson is injured he needs to …"

"Langley is good. Lead on please." Auggie put as much of his weight as he could bear into pushing Annie toward the sound of the other agent's voice. In a low murmur he explained: "This isn't life threatening. Langley doc's can patch me up while we're being debriefed and avoid all those pesky hospital questions about gunshots." He ground his teeth against the pain in his calf and tried not to give in to the vertigo that felt like an especially cruel trick to play on a blind man.

"Here, Agent Walker, let me help."

"I'm good! Keep your eyes on the street." Auggie was back to using his soldier voice. Not that it had much effect on Annie, who grumbled and muttered under her breath all the way to the car. As soon as they were in the back seat of the black sedan, she was pulling away the tux jacket and pressing more gauze against his wound.

"Damn it Auggie you've soaked through all of these bandages. Moving you around is not helping! I think we need to go to GW right now." She leaned forward to tell the driver where to take them but before she could speak, Auggie reached across his body, ran the back of his hand up her arm until he found her face, and grasped her chin. With a sharp tug he had them practically nose to nose. He could tell, because Annie's breath puffed out, in irritation, right across his lips.

"Annie Walker, stop your nagging and be quiet or I will decide that you want that lesson I promised you right here in the back seat of this car. And trust me, Annie, that activity most definitely will make my wound worse."


	10. Chapter 10

"Auggie." She said his name as she so often did: with a hint of maternal concern, a touch of exasperation, and a wealth of emotion and history left unsaid. He was sitting on the padded medical table, shirt off, running shorts on. (And thankful for that last bit, because he wasn't sure his battered ego could take having her see him naked and shivering.) He knew it would hurt and he knew it would make her smirk, but his back straightened to parade-ground firmness on instinct and there wasn't anything he could have done to stop it.

"Joan."

She stood and watched him for a moment. She missed nothing. His bandaged calf rested half-off the table. He had his left arm at an awkward angle across his body while a doctor cleaned out the gash across his left rib cage. She could see another bandage across the back of the arm he was holding out of the doctor's way. Auggie's brown curls looked a little more tousled than usual- but she'd seen this look too. It meant that he'd been running his hand through his hair in exasperation. The source of that exasperation was becoming more and more of a constant – and more of a concern for the head of the DPD.

"You realize the amount of paperwork I have to do, from HR _and_ legal, every time you get hurt in the field? You aren't field cleared and you know it." He opened his mouth to reply but she shook her head forcefully- forgetting for the millionth time that he couldn't see her. "Save it." Her cold, mission orientated stare turned to the doctor. He quailed, if only a little. "How many stitches?"

"The calf had to be stitched in four places because of the jagged nature of the wound. The arm is the most serious injury. The bullet tore into muscle and a large vein. There are six internal sutures and ten external. This," he indicated the crease along Auggie's ribs, "will only require a bandage and antiseptic. Pictures of the wound tracks and directionality will be in my report."

"Joan I'm fine, really. Let me get to work figuring out who those guys were. "

"Auggie." This time her tone quite clearly said "Shut your hole, Anderson" with all the finality of a drill instructor on a very bad day. "I'm here to escort you back to the DPD as soon as the doctor is finished with you. I'll be down the hall checking on Annie."

He nearly came off the table, causing the doctor to curse and pull him backward. Then, it was Auggie's turn to curse. "What's wrong with Annie? She never said anything about being.. . Let me up!"

Joan's stare turned even more calculating. This was definitely not good. Auggie was naturally protective of his co-workers and those in the field, but he worked hard maintain an image of sarcastic non-concern. Visible emotion from Auggie, who knew better than anyone what it meant to become emotionally invested in an operation or associate, was a terrifying signal that he'd lost his objectivity. What scared Joan the most, though, was that she was more frightened of what Auggie would do if she forcibly separated him from Annie. There was absolutely no telling, either, what Annie Walker would do if she found herself suddenly bereft of Anderson.

_I hate this part of my job. These days this seems to be my _only_ job._

"She came in covered in blood, Auggie. While I'm sure it is all _your_ blood, I needed to confirm that assumption. I'll be back in five minutes."

Joan found Annie dressed in sweats and a t-shirt and arguing loudly with a harassed-looking medical professional. The young woman was smart enough to clamp her mouth shut as soon as her boss walked in the door. The head of the DPD checked out her operative from head to toe. Her hair was wet and un-styled. She'd obviously been forced to shower in order to clean off all of Auggie's blood.

"Auggie is fine, Annie. The doctor is just finished bandaging up his ribs and then I'll bring him back to the office. I know you've had a long night, but I have work for you to do." Her mouth quirked slightly. "I'm afraid you aren't going to like it much."

"If you mean talking to Ben and trying to figure out why the hell someone tried to kill us tonight, then you're wrong. I'm going to enjoy it very much."

Joan was genuinely alarmed by Annie's tone. "Annie… remember Ben is back in the fold now. He's on our side."

"So I can't rip his arms off?"

"Well, not right away. He probably had no idea this Tharindu character was a threat."

That earned her a patented Annie Walker snort. "My ass." Annie blinked when she, suddenly, remembered to whom she was speaking. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Joan chuckled. "Mercer is cooling his heels in Arthur's office. Jai will take you up there." She saw Annie's brow quirk at this news. "Yes, find out how much Jai has a hand in this, would you?"

"Wheels within wheels, " Annie muttered.

"Lies within lies, couched in falsehoods," Joan replied.

She watched Annie stalk off and spared a moment's pity for Ben Mercer. Joan knew from the moment the leggy blonde had walked into the DPD that Annie Walker was trouble. Every single operation confirmed that opinion into rock-solid fact. Every single mission also, however, confirmed that the Agency was far better off with Walker in it. She mentally chewed on that realization while walking back in to the small room where Auggie was waiting, impatiently, for her. His left arm was, now, immobilized against his body in a sling. He was running his thumb over a gold object nestled in his right palm.

"What's this?" Joan picked the locket out of his hand so he could grasp her elbow. "One of your projects?"

"It has a video and audio memory chip. I'm hoping the locket overheard something that Annie or I might have missed. I need to get started on it right away."

"I could call Stu in to work on it." She was, she knew, evil for suggesting it. She knew he would blush and quickly find an excuse for why _he_ had to be the one to analyze the audio. "Unless of course there are things on there better left out of the report?"

"Mercer was there Joan. Did you know he would be?"

"Auggie I would not have sent you into any situation where I knew that Mercer and Walker would be together. I wanted her to have technical support in case she did over-hear something important, but I honestly thought this was a simple cover-story building exercise. I've sent her to find out everything she can from Mercer."

His face clouded with emotion again. "I don't like that idea much. He had her tied in knots tonight."

"Jai will be there too."

This time it looked as if he'd sucked down a whole lemon. "I'm supposed to find that comforting?"

Joan smirked. "Since when have I been in the business of dispensing comfort?" She placed his hand on the doorframe of his office. "Get to work Auggie. I want to know who's shooting at my agents, and I want to know why."

By the time Auggie limped to his desk, Joan was up the stairs on shutting her office door. Her husband, arms crossed, leaned against her desk. "You know, I don't think Hera is supposed to summon Zeus. "

She resisted the urge to smack him for teasing her on a night like this. "You started this mess, Arthur. Now you have to help me get us all out of it in one piece."

**A/N: I had a lot of fun writing a chapter about Joan. Joan and Annie are definitely an interesting pair, but I have to say that Auggie and Joan are much more entertaining. There is a such a good dynamic between the two of them. This chapter has been swimming around in my head for a few weeks, but I couldn't get chapter 9 worked out. Thus, the unforgivably long delay in updating.**


	11. Chapter 11

It was times like this that Auggie really missed having Stu around.

_Yet another score to settle with Jai._

Thoughts of Jai being in the same room with Annie made Auggie's stomach clench. Annie tried so hard to see the good in people. That was a big part of why Auggie found her so endearing—she still had that wide-eyed innocence. Jai had saved her life on more than one occasion and thus he was, in her mind, a good guy. In Annie's world-view the good-guys never stabbed their friends in the back in order to gain a cushy 7th floor office or director's title.

Annie still loved (and oh how _that_ thought stung) Mercer on some level, but she also knew he was completely incapable of participating in an honest relationship. The former rogue operative had been right on that score—Annie _had_ changed over the past few months, if only in her ability to say "no" to the men in her life.

These thoughts caromed through Auggie's mind while he struggled to remove the delicate audio recorder from the locket. The tiny little camera took only still images that would have to be analyzed later, since that was obviously beyond his abilities. He focused on the audio track and sincerely hoped he would hear more than a playback of his evening's flirtation.

Annie felt cold when she stepped into the elevator. If Jai noticed he didn't indicate it in any way. His smile was as cordial as always.

"Hello Annie. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, Jai. I wasn't even scratched. I wish I could say the same for Auggie."

His handsome features twisted with distaste. "I don't know what Joan was thinking, sending Auggie with you on an op."

"It wasn't supposed to _be_ an op! Also, Joan didn't pick Auggie to go with me, I asked him to attend. I'd considered inviting you, but I hardly ever see you anymore."

That barb got his attention. "Annie there will always be a place for you on my team. Your language and analytical skills are top-notch. I wish you would consider my offer to join the Special Projects group."

She rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to ward off the sudden chill his words elicited. "Sorry, Jai, I have a job and I like working for Joan."

He shrugged as if the entire matter was inconsequential. "Situations change. Just keep an open mind." The doors opened and he led the way to Arthur Campbell's office.

"Why here?"

Jai's look of surprise seemed genuine. "You don't know? Ben's been Arthur's go-to guy ever since he came back to the Agency."

She knew he was watching her, so she internalized the shock of that statement. Ben was right on that point-Annie had changed. She'd learned to keep her emotions hidden from her co-workers.

_Well, except for Auggie. How ironic that the only man who truly sees me is blind._

"I meant," she answered Jai smoothly, "why are we in Arthur's office without Arthur?"

Ben stood as they walked into the spacious room. "Because Arthur thinks I won't bolt from here quite as quickly as an interrogation room." He spoke with a cynical sneer twisting his mouth, but his eyes were taking in every inch of her. He noted her thin t-shirt and wet hair. With a disgusted glance at Jai, Ben tugged his tuxedo jacket from the back of a chair and swept it over her shoulders. As his hands gently lifted her hair from beneath the collar, he whispered, "Are you ok?"

Annie squeezed his hand. "I'm fine, Ben, really. Are _you_ ok?"

Jai motioned them both toward comfortable armchairs. Ben sat before answering Annie's question. "I'm fine. I was still trailing Tharindu at the reception when Jai's guys scooped me up. Before you ask, I didn't see him making any calls after you left. He also didn 't seem agitated."

"It's still too much of a coincidence that he recognizes me as your girlfriend and twenty minutes later I'm being shot at."

"This other man you said he was talking to," Jai interjected, "do we have an ID on him?"

Ben and Annie both shook their heads. Ben said, "I didn't know him."

"Maybe Auggie will be able to tell us more once the audio and pictures from my locket are analyzed."

Jai visibly tensed. "You had surveillance equipment? Why wasn't I told?"

"Uh, because it wasn't an op and you aren't my handler?" Annie snapped her response. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ben staring at Jai with a look of calculation. When Jai stood and turned away to answer a phone call, Annie leaned toward Ben. "What is it?"

"They followed you from the reception?"

"Yes."

"You're fairly certain they didn't say anything during the break-in at the safe-house?"

She chewed on her lower lip while she tried to remember. She heard the deafening gunshots tearing through the door, Auggie muttering in her ear about butterflies, and his grunt of surprise when the ricochet sliced into him.

"Hey." Ben's soft exclamation of concern jolted her back to the present. "Here." He pulled out a handkerchief and dapped at her lower lip. She hadn't realized until that instant that she'd bitten down hard enough to draw blood. "What is it?"

"I was just... never mind. Ben, we _have_ to get these guys. They were intent on killing us and it has to be related to that reception."

"I would personally beat the information out of Tharindu if I could, Annie, but I'm on ice. Arthur will most likely put me on a plane back to Sri Lanka ASAP. I was only here as part of my cover." He saw her questioning look. "Tharindu knows me as an American business consultant for small Asian markets. The NAM and IMF meetings are extremely important to that region's economies."

Further conversation was interrupted by Arthur Campbell strolling back into his office. He had his hands in his pockets and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He seemed, to Annie, to be privately amused about something.

"Well, Jai, did you hear anything that threatens any of your operations?"

"You knew I wouldn't."

Arthur held up his hands in the universal gesture of innocence. "I was just trying to facilitate better operational management between the DPD and Special Projects." He gave Annie a fatherly smile. "Agent Walker, Joan is waiting for your briefing. Thank you for taking the time to talk with these two."

It was an obvious dismissal, but Annie really wanted to stay and investigate the roiled undercurrents between the three men in the room. She opened her mouth to give Arthur her excuse for staying, but stopped when he gave her a very pointed look. His face and body were still relaxed, but his eyes had the same intensity they'd had during their shared op in Berlin. Annie stood and handed the slightly bloodied handkerchief back to Ben.

She closed the door with a last look of concern at Arthur, Jai, and Ben engaged in an epic stare-down.

**A/N: I still do not own any rights to the names, characters, or concepts of Covert Affairs. No monetary gain is intended (or likely).  
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** My sincere apologies for the extreme delay in updating this story. I have a very good excuse, though. I just published my novel and paying work definitely takes precedence over my temporary borrowing of these characters! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and out-right stalked this story. I'm sorry this chapter didn't have more A&A goodness in it, but the writer in me demanded that I actually DO something with the plot!**** Don't despair, the next chapter is ready to be uploaded after one more editorial pass!**


	12. Chapter 12

She wanted to duck into Auggie's office, just for a second, just so she could look at him and reassure herself that he was ok. Joan, though, was waiting. More precisely, Joan was pacing, waiting to pounce the moment Annie walked into the DPD.

"Annie. My office."

If only she received a vacation day for every time she heard those words. Such ominous portents, those three little words. Half-way across the nearly deserted department, Annie realized she was still wearing Ben's tux jacket. It swallowed her small shoulders and helped to ward off the chill from the constantly running air-conditioners. She shuffled into her boss' office and shut the door.

"Sit." If Annie judged the time by Joan's appearance, she would think it was the middle of a work-day. It was nearly two am, but the head of DPD wore an immaculate pant suit and her hair was neatly styled. "Tell me what you learned."

"Is Jai making a power-play for your job?"

Very few things shocked Joan Campbell. Even fewer startled her so badly that she let it show. "How did you..." She frowned. "Before I answer that, tell me why you came to that conclusion."

Annie shrugged. "He made a few passing comments about wanting me on his team and that "things change"."

"Annie," Joan leaned forward. "You need to keep your suspicions to yourself. Do you understand me? You're a good officer, one of the brightest and sharpest I've ever encountered, but you are incontrovertibly _not ready_ for the level of bloodshed incurred with Agency office politics." She pinned the younger woman with a glare. "Don't mention it to Auggie either. He'll just engage in some noble Quixotic quest, and I don't have time for that nonsense."

"Auggie will figure it out, Joan."

Scowling, Joan said, "What did Mercer have to say?"

"That his man Tharindu didn't display body language indicating that he was agitated before or after Auggie and I left the party." Annie rubbed at a those thread on her pants, thinking furiously. "Auggie heard him, Tharindu, having a discussion with another man. Perhaps we spooked that man."

"Any details on this other person?"

Annie shook her head ruefully. "Auggie overheard him. I didn't hear or see him. That means my locket likely didn't pick anything up, either. Oh," her head came up as something occurred to her. "Why would Jai be worried about surveillance at the gala? Did he have an op running?"

Joan's eyes narrowed. "Not that I am aware of, but that doesn't mean he didn't. He shouldn't have cared, though." The director of the DPD looked down at her desktop for a moment. "Annie, I want you to take Auggie home and stay there."

"Uh—"

Joan quickly interrupted her. "I'd rather authorize a single protective detail, which means I need you both in one place. Auggie still has a couch, doesn't he?" She tried not to chuckle at the younger woman's blush. "Take him home, make sure he follows the doctor's orders about medication and rest, and stay inside. I'll work on what intel we have." Her features softened slightly as Annie rose. "Don't beat yourself up over this, Annie. This was an ambush that you couldn't have foreseen. Get some sleep. I'll call you in when we have something actionable."

Annie pulled the door shut behind her. She walked slowly to Auggie's office, thinking over every detail of the night. Auggie had his head-phones on when she entered, but his head immediately rose and turned toward her. He reached up with one hand to tug the earphones away.

"Annie?" For the first time since she'd met him, the tech-op sounded unsure of whom he was addressing.

"Hey. Joan's kicking you out of here. I've been assigned to... what's wrong?" She frowned at him as he limped across the room. When his hands came down on her shoulders he scowled and increased her confusion.

"Why are you wearing Mercer's dinner jacket?"

"Because she was cold." Ben walked in the door behind Annie. He smiled down at her when she turned to face him. "I was just coming to collect that before they escort me to my flight.

"You're leaving now? It's got to be 4am."

"3:15, actually." Auggie, now standing behind Annie, stroked his hands over her shoulders to the front of the jacket. With deft movements he pulled the material backward and down her arms. "Annie, will you go see if the car is ready to take us home? I need a word with Agent Mercer."

Her hazel eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure—" She broke off when Ben, his features oddly serious, nodded at her. "Fine," she huffed.

Mercer closed the door behind her. "Find anything on Tharindu's mysterious visitor?"

"No. It will take me a few days to run through the sig-int we have from Sri Lanka to see if I can match his voice." He handed the jacket back to Mercer.

"How's the arm?"

"I've had worse."

"Haven't we all."

A tense moment passed. Auggie couldn't know it, but the two men were displaying nearly identical body language, tense and predatory.

Ben broke the silence. "So, Jai's making a move?"

"Seems that way. I'm not sure why he thinks he can get anywhere before Arthur breaks his legs."

"I know Jai. He despises his father, but he's also learned every single one of the old man's tricks. He has something on Joan, or Arthur, or the two of them jointly. He's biding his time, waiting for his moment."

Auggie's left eyebrow rose slightly. "And what are you doing? Waiting to see who comes out on top?"

Ben flashed one of his trademark smirks, forgetting that the gesture was completely lost on the other man. "I'm pretending to be a good little company man and trying to keep an eye on Annie."

Auggie wanted to make a cutting remark, but he knew he hadn't had much luck keeping Annie Walker "safe" from anything in the entire time he'd known her. So, he stood there stone faced.

"If Arthur goes down I can fade away again with no trouble. But Annie, she seems to like it here and she still likes Jai. God knows why."

They shared a grimace.

"Look, just watch out for her, ok? She trusts you and she doesn't trust easily. I don't want to see her hurt." Ben sighed. "_More_ hurt. Speaking of hurting, here she comes and she looks ready to do bodily harm. Good luck, Anderson." Ben pivoted and left the office. He literally stopped Annie in her tracks as she came around the corner. "Listen to orders, just this once, ok? Stay inside and stay safe."

"_You_ are telling _me_ to be cautious?"

"I am." He rubbed the pad of one thumb over her cheekbone. "I don't know what's going on, but this feels like more than a blown cover for a random Sri Lankan officer. It feels..."

"Personal?" Annie whispered the question. She blinked away a tear as Ben nodded solemnly. "What about your safety?"

Ben looked over her shoulder to where Auggie stood, arms crossed, in his office doorway. "I'm pretty sure the risk of bodily harm is greater if I keep you standing here any longer." Giving in to a nasty streak because he knew Anderson wouldn't be able to see the action, Ben leaned down and tried to give Annie a kiss on the mouth. He was surprised when she turned her head at the last moment. After she kissed him on the cheek he saw her ferocious expression.

"Stop instigating. Go." Annie pushed him on the shoulders.

Ben walked backwards, grinning. "You've changed, Annie Walker, but I'm beginning to find this version more exciting."

Over her laugh, Annie heard Auggie's growl. When Ben disappeared around the corner, she walked back to the scowling man in the doorway. "Your face will freeze that way, you know." When he didn't immediately respond, she hooked her arm, gently, around his elbow. "How did you know it was me, in your office?"

"I didn't" He patted her hand. "I was just giving whoever was standing there a chance to speak or flee."

"Er..."

"Annie Walker, someone walked into my office smelling like Ben Mercer's aftershave and moving very quietly. Either Mercer was trying to sneak up on me, meaning I'd finally have the chance to bash his pretty-boy face, or you'd recently been in _very _close personal contact with him. Also, incidentally, meaning that I would have a good excuse for bashing his face."

"Oh?" She tried to sound disapproving, but a giggle threatened to ruin the effect.

"Annie, Bond _always_ gets the girl. It's canon."

**I know, I know. More plot and drama and not enough action (of either sort). It's not my fault! USA screenwriters have infiltrated my brain! (Which means you should be happy that a certain girlfriend-whose-existence-shall-be-ignored hasn't shown up and ruined everything.) Hey, Annie and Auggie are going to be locked up in the same apartment. That bodes well... right?**


	13. Chapter 13

They rode in complete silence to Auggie's apartment. Two expressionless men with the builds of NFL linebackers occupied the sedan's front seats. Auggie sat on the passenger side in the rear. Annie stayed on her side of the car. She knew, from his expression and his earlier comments, that the tech-ops agent was running a mental debrief of the evening's activities. She tried to do the same, but her thoughts refused to align themselves into anything approaching a logical order.

The car pulled to the curb. The driver turned to face Auggie. "Perimeter check, Agent Anderson." The other protective services detail agent was already out the door and scanning the dark street.

"Exit my side of the car when they give the all-clear."

She huffed. "I _know_ Auggie."

He turned his head and just sat there, his sightless eyes managing, somehow, to bore into her and make her feel small. Small, and petulant. He didn't turn away until the car door opened. He waited for her to step out. Instead of his usual hold on her elbow, he wrapped his uninjured right arm around her waist as they entered his building. She looked down in surprise, but had no time to comment. They were literally harried into the building lobby.

They were escorted to Auggie's door and made to wait while the interior was swept. Annie tamped down her growing irritation. She knew that her reaction was due primarily to exhaustion. There was a significant part of her, though, that wanted to scream that she was perfectly capable of a location sweep. _She_ could protect Auggie.

_Despite all evidence to the contrary._

The thought snuck up on her so quickly that she barely stifled the resulting sob. Auggie's head snapped sideways. His hand on her back flexed. "Easy, Walker."

"I'm fine," she whispered.

"You _will be_." The old words came so easily to the both of them now. His hand did another soothing pass over her spine. As soon as they were allowed, he pushed Annie into his apartment. He released her to turn and lock the door.

Annie dropped a shopping bag by the breakfast bar. The bag contained the remnants of their, mostly ruined, clothing, their shoes, and a Ziploc bag holding Auggie's prescribed pain killers. She pulled the pills from the bag and walked to the cabinet she knew contained his drinking glasses.

"I'm not taking those."

"Yes you are. Go get in bed."

"No." His voice was soft, but his tone was firm. He put his right hand on her shoulder. Before she could shake him off, her irritation growing with each second, he tightened his grip. "Annie I'm so tired; inertia is the only thing keeping me moving. The moment I hit that bed I will be sound asleep. In the morning, when I wake up, I will need painkillers. Right now I just want you settled so that I can pass out."

"Afternoon."

"Huh?"

"It's _already_ morning, Auggie. I don't plan on opening my eyes until at least 1pm. Is this where we have the stereotypical argument about who is sleeping on the couch?"

"Nope." He popped the "p" while he shuffled behind her. She led the way to his closet. "I'm sleeping in my bed. The only debate is whether you feel like joining me there. Should be a blanket and a pillow on the top shelf," he said when he felt her rise up on her tip-toes.

"I have standards, Auggie."

"Yeah?"

Her breath hissed out as, landing back on flat feet, she felt herself tugged against his body. He rested his cheek against her right ear. "What standards are those?"

It took all of her willpower not to relax into that comforting hold, but she knew he was exhausted and in pain. This easy flirting was bravado meant to distract her from worrying over him. She turned in his arms, wrapped her own arm around his waist and led him to his bed.

"The kind of standards that dictate the encounter lasting longer than five seconds and _not_ ending with pulled stitches."

He wrinkled his adorable nose. "I take it back. You are far too uptight for a Bond girl."

Annie leaned up against him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, lingering for a second longer than normal. "Silly Auggie. Don't you know yet? _I'm_ Bond." She patted his arm and shuffled toward the couch.

"That's just wrong, Walker."

"G'night, Auggie."


	14. Chapter 14

They met in a parking lot in Anacostia. The streetlights hadn't worked since the mid-60's. All of the surrounding buildings were long abandoned. One man sat in a dark late-model sedan, his features completely indistinguishable. The other man, blonde and well built, stood beside the car door, studiously studying the perimeter.

"Your services are no longer required."

"We have not fulfilled out agreement."

"A fact I am well aware of. You were not authorized to continue activities in this country."

The blond man's eyes narrowed. "We do not provide refunds."

"Refunds? I don't recall paying you."

"And if the FBI catches us?"

"I would suggest they don't. If they do, don't expect to live long enough to disclose anything you_ think_ you know."

The assassin's body language didn't change, but his tone did. "It is not in your best interest to threaten me."

The man in the shadowed car snorted his derision. "You let a green girl escape you—twice."

"She was not our target."

"Then why were you shooting at her?"

"She was with Mercer."

"Not tonight. You shot at the wrong people. Mercer and the girl are no longer your concern. You have less than an hour before the FBI start processing their evidence. Do not contact me again."

* * *

><p>Annie jerked awake. Before she could fight her way through the confusion of waking up in an odd location, Auggie's voice snagged her attention. She jerked upright. "Auggie?"<p>

His hand slid up her arm. "Shh, we're good. I just need your help for a minute."

She blinked. Her eyes felt glued shut. Obviously she'd failed to remove all of the previous night's mascara. In the dim morning light, Auggie didn't appear much better off. His hair stood up at odd angles and his expression was marred by obvious pain.

"What time is it?"

"Since I'm about to say "You were right", I'm guessing it's about two minutes before Armageddon."

"You woke me up for snark?" While she asked the question, she struggled to her feet. Auggie clenched her hand once she was standing.

"The pharmacy didn't mark the pill bottles with Braille labels. I can't tell which is the antibiotic and which is the—"

"Painkiller you didn't need?" She shuffled toward the kitchen.

He hung his head in a comic gesture. "I already said you were right. Are you going to make me suffer?"

"Not at," she glanced at the clock on the microwave, "5:30am." Annie studied the pill bottles before opening one and pouring a pill into Auggie's up-turned palm.

"Thanks. There's a label maker on the counter behind you. Can you put an A label on the antibiotics cap and a P on the painkillers?"

She looked in wonder at the simple keypad that showed the typical alphabet with Braille equivalents. "This is neat."

Auggie gulped down the pill and a large glass of water. "Pretty handy, really." While she fiddled with the label maker, he slid behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Re-playing the scene from earlier, he laid his cheek against her head.

Annie's pupils dilated at the tender gesture. _He's exhausted and in pain. This doesn't mean anything._ Still, she took her time affixing the labels to the bottles, not wanting to break the spell. It took a great deal of willpower not to lean back against the man behind her. She barely stifled a purr-like moan when his cheek slid over her hair.

For the second time in twelve hours, Auggie nuzzled her neck. This time, though, he wasn't keeping up appearances for a cover story.

"Annie Walker, I think it's time you went to bed." His breath teased against her ear. "With me."


	15. Chapter 15

She froze. It was embarrassing. She was a seasoned field agent. She'd been in far scarier situations. _So why are you suddenly terrified of misreading Auggie's signals? _Even more embarrassing was her stuttered response. "Er..wh..what?"

When he chuckled, his breath teased against her ear and neck. "Bed, Annie. Come sleep with me."

Annie tried to turn and face him, sure that she'd see a wicked gleam in his eyes and a teasing quirk to his lips. He wouldn't let her, though. His arms were still curled tightly around her waist. _OK, think Walker. He's in a lot of pain, he's operating on next to no sleep, and he's your freaking best friend. You have to be taking this the wrong way. Right?_ "What, no dinner? Just "jump in my bed, baby"?"

"Mmm. I never said you had to jump. You can if you like, but maybe do that before I'm in the bed. I don't need you landing on me, again."

"Hey! _**You **_landed on _**me**_! Come on, you need to get horizontal before you fall over."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. Take me to bed, Annie Walker."

"Stop toying with me, Auggie. I'm tired and cranky and you're thirty seconds from passing out from the meds." This time when she tried to wiggle out of his grasp, he let her. Auggie wasn't wearing his flirtatious expression, though. _He looks serious. And worried. I'd know __**that**__ look anywhere._ She reached out and wrapped his larger hand in hers without even realizing what she was doing.

Auggie tugged on her hand. When she stepped close, again, he hugged her. His voice was slightly muffled when he said "I need to know you're safe. I'm working without a net here, with none of the awesome resources of the Agency to back me up. It's just one pain-addled blind guy and a spunky blonde against trained assassins. Much as I'm sure I'd enjoy seducing you, Annie, I want you in the bed so I know where you're at."

"You sure know how to kill a girl's confidence."

"Consider it payback for the Bond comment. Bed now?"

With a return to their usual playful banter, and Auggie's hand still wrapped firmly in hers, Annie felt more secure. She shuffled toward his obnoxiously large bed, best friend in tow. Before her tired brain could prevent it, she blurted out, "Why would any man need a bed this size?" The words weren't even fully out of her mouth before a blush rushed up her neck to her cheekbones. "Never mind. Don't answer that, please." She thought she heard him snicker as he walked around the edge of the mattress, right hand trailing along the surface.

Auggie sat down on the left side of the bed, swung his legs onto the mattress, and gently laid his head on the pillow. Annie glanced at him, then at the alarm clock, cane, and phone on the nightstand.

"You usually sleep on the right side of the bed."

"Mmm. Hurts too much to sleep on my left side. Have to sleep on right. Can't do that and hold you if I'm over there."

That made her pause.

"Stop chewing that already abused lip and get in bed, Walker."

"You are such a demanding bed partner," she groused as she crawled in beside him.

As one muscled arm fell over her waist, he muttered "You have no idea." Auggie's hand splayed across her belly. "Go to sleep."

"You'd better not snore."

"I've been shot, Walker. I'm contractually allowed to snore if I damn well please." He kissed the top of her head. "Good night."

Hours later, Annie slid out of Auggie's grasp and tip-toed to the bathroom. She desperately wanted a shower, but didn't need the added drama of having Auggie walk in on her in the process. Moving as quietly as possible—and that was pretty damn quiet for a CIA field officer—she slipped into the kitchen.

Auggie's coffee pot was ridiculously complicated. Muttering about geeks and their gadgets, it took her five minutes to start the brewing process. She wanted, no, _needed_ to check her messages, but couldn't. Joan had confiscated their phones and laptops. The director of the DPD didn't want anyone tracking her agents through electronic means. Annie and Auggie each had a "In Case of Emergency Phone" tucked away. They both knew that the true title of those phones should be "You had damn well better be bleeding out before you DARE call me on this thing", but even the acronym happy CIA drew the line _somewhere._

As if cued by the perverse cosmic forces that ruled her life, Annie's burn phone chirped. She jumped, then, sprinted across the floor to grab at her bag. Frantically trying to dig the phone out before its ringing woke up Auggie, Annie cursed under her breath.

"Hello?"

"Hi Annie."

"Ben? How did you—"

"Arthur gave it to me. Listen, not a lot of time to talk. Whoever was shooting at you was definitely not associated with the Sri Lankans. I think someone is tying up loose ends. Keep your head down Annie. I'm not sure they'll stop with eliminating me."

"If you think this, why are you leaving the country? You need to be in a secure location. Ben? BEN!"

A long fingered hand reached over her shoulder and removed the phone from Annie's shaking hand. Auggie turned his back to her, preventing her snatching the phone back.

"Speculation or evidence? No, I told you, the FBI has the safe house tapes. Don't tell me how to do my job, Mercer." The last comment was fairly growled. "Right. You tell her. No, it needs to come from you. She'll rip my limbs off if I try to keep her in this place without getting a chance to talk to you."

Auggie handed the phone back to her.

Ben said, "Annie please stay sequestered with Auggie until Joan and Arthur have more details about the players involved. This is bigger than just the two of us. Annie, I wish... You have to know..."

Fighting back tears, Annie whispered, "I know. Stay safe, Ben." She pressed the end button. With trembling fingers, she flipped the phone over and removed the battery and SIM card.

"Annie?"

It took a few minutes before she could turn and face him. She knew he couldn't _see_ her crying, but he would know. He always knew. She blinked. "Uh...Auggie? You have no shirt on."

That little-boy, crooked, grin, flitted across his face. "I was on my way to the shower. You're just lucky I hadn't completely stripped." He turned serious. "Want to talk?"

"Yes," she whispered, "but not right now. Go shower. The coffee _might_ be done by the time you get out.

Because he always read her moods perfectly, Auggie walked back into the bedroom. Alone with her thoughts and roiled emotions, Annie curled up on his couch. She wrapped her arms around her knees, closed her eyes and tried to be still.


	16. Chapter 16

Annie listened to the cars pass outside, a bird chirping on the window ledge, the refrigerator hum, and the faint sound of water trickling from a shower head. She breathed in the medicinal scent of the balm covering her scraped knees and the light, clean-linen fragrance of Auggie's apartment. Focusing on sound and smell, she adamantly refused to _feel_ anything. She locked up the pain and uncertainty that Ben always caused. Those feelings could be stowed away, in a neat little bundle, until she was ready to face them, again.

By the time the sound of running water ceased, Annie's breathing had returned to an easy, steady pace. She heard Auggie leave the bathroom, heard him cross the floor behind her. He rested his palm on the top of her head.

"Shower's all yours."

"How do you always find me on the first try?"

"I don't. Your brain makes note of exceptional occurrences, like a blind man managing to know where your arm or head is at an initial touch. You expect me to fumble or feel you up accidentally, so your brain doesn't make note of that. It's simply not exceptional."

She knew he threw the comment in to test her mood, but her laughter erupted none-the-less. "Trust me, being felt-up by the great August Anderson is an exceptional event."

"Oh really?" He cocked an eyebrow. "Go shower. I'll see if I can scrounge up some grub."

"Pizza. I require pizza on the," Annie glanced at the clock, "afternoon after."

He pointed behind him. True his arm _was_ in the general direction of the door, but he was specifically pointing to the wall. If she hadn't so badly _needed_ a shower, Annie would have walked into the wall just to tease him.

Auggie waited until he heard the water running in his shower. Very quietly, he sighed and leaned his head against the cool metal of his fridge door. _Damn you Joan. After being shot, and having her shot at AGAIN, the last thing I needed was being locked in an apartment with Annie. Two years ago, no, more than that now, when you told me to "watch this one" we both knew there was an unspoken command: "watch over her, but do not touch". Oh Joan, what have you volunteered me for?_

The smell of freshly brewed coffee distracted him. He trailed his hand along the cabinets until he found the one containing his six sad little mugs. The act of reaching pulled at the stitches under his arm. Auggie winced. Both hands wrapped around the coffee cup, he leaned against the counter and tried not to think about his best friend currently naked in his shower. He was on his second cup when a fresh citrus scent wafted by his nose.

"Annie Walker"

She, gently, hip checked him as she passed. "Auggie. Fancy meeting you here."

He raised his mug in mock salute. "Best coffee in town."

"Good scen-" her retort ended in a hiss. "You're bleeding."

"Yeah. Thought I might have tugged a stitch loose. Not really supposed to get them wet in the first twenty four hours." He heard her mutter curses in—"Is that Turkish? I can't believe you just said that."

She poked her index finger into his chest. "Do-Not-Move."

"Yes ma'am. First Aid kit is—"

"I know where it's at, Auggie." She was back in less than a minute, and she still sounded pissed.

"I'm not sure I want you playing nurse while you're in this mood."

"Shirt off. Now"

While he had the t-shirt pulled over his face, Annie took the opportunity to stick her tongue out at him. Her petulant expression turned horrified when he slowly lowered his arms, shirt in one hand. The corners of his mouth tilted. Terrified that he, somehow, knew what she'd done, Annie stepped closer.

"Let me see this. Ok," she said as she inspected the wound. "It looks like just a little blood from the edges. Stitches are intact."

"You sound worried."

"I didn't want to explain to Joan how you needed _more_ medical care after just one night in my company."

Her mention of Joan tweaked Auggie's conscience. He stayed very still and tried to think wholesome thoughts while Annie reapplied the bandage over his ribs. He'd been mostly succeeding, so Annie's next comment jolted him. "I'm surprised she didn't fire me last night."

"Annie, Joan has supported you through several situations that were undeniably your fault. Last night was _not_ your fault. Joan isn't the type to go on witch-hunts."

"I tried to come check on you, when we were at Langley. She wouldn't—"

He cut her off by sliding his free right hand up her arm. "You had a job to do. Ben wasn't going to talk to anyone else. You were precisely where Joan needed you to be last night. Hey. Put that stuff down and listen to me." He waited until he heard the first aid kit click closed. "If Joan truly blamed you for last night, for getting me shot, she wouldn't have left me in your care. You know that."

"So," Annie whispered, "I should stop feeling guilty over you being shot?"

"Yes. You should, however, wallow in guilt over cutting my clothes off of me."

"Just your pants." She giggled.

"And not even all of those. Pity."

"Stop. I'm impervious to your wiles, remember?" Annie tilted her head up to grin at him.

He tilted his head down. "I know what you did."

"Huh? Again with the not making..."

"Annie Walker, don't try to lie to me. I _know_ you."

She had to force her brain to focus on his words. Her senses were begging her to focus on something else entirely. "I call bullshit. There's no way you can _hear_ someone stick her tongue out."

The hand he'd run up her arm now migrated over her shoulder to curl around her nape. He dipped his head closer, lowered his voice, and adamantly refused to think about Joan's reaction if she ever found out what he was up to. "I can. There's this very soft," his fingers kneaded the tendons in her neck, "wet, noise your tongue makes when it slides back in your mouth. I believe I made you a promise—"

"Seemed like a warning."

"—to teach you what tongues were for if you ever did that again. Just now, that was the second time since my warning. Are you teasing me, Miss Walker?"

She placed one hand under his elbow and the other on his bare chest. As her mind screamed a silent prayer that she wasn't totally screwing up the last awesome thing in her life, Annie rose on her tip toes and ran the edge of her tongue along Auggie's lips.

When he froze, her heart broke. "I'm sorry I—"

Auggie would never know what she was supposedly sorry for. His left hand splayed across her lower back, tugging her forward. The hand wrapped in her hair clenched. His kiss wasn't light or tender. He held her still, pressed his lips against hers and within seconds had his tongue fencing with hers.


	17. Chapter 17

Joan waited until her husband finished his call. She perched on his chair arm and leaned in for a kiss. He relaxed into the leather, one hand stroking over her knee.

"No one has picked up any chatter involving the Sri Lankans, or anyone else. The FBI are running down leads and tracking possible suspects that might be headed for the Canadian border. Mercer is safely on the other side of the globe. I think it's safe to let Anderson and Annie out of their hole."

The director of the DPD shook her head. "No, I'll give it another twenty-four hours."

"You're too cautious where those two are concerned."

"I'm cautious with _all_ of my people. This isn't caution, though. Auggie was shot and Annie was the cause, however inadvertently. They need to decompress."

"Softie," Arthur teased.

"It's a strategic move. If Annie has something tying her to the Agency, she's less likely to run off in an attempt to save Mercer. And we both know he will need saving at some point."

Arthur scowled. "I hope the FBI do find the shooters. I want to know who's behind these attempts. This is part of something bigger and I don't like being operationally blind."

* * *

><p>Auggie turned his body, moving Annie so that she was pressed against the counter. He did it all without breaking away from kissing her. She tilted her head, angling her mouth against his, while her hands clenched at his shoulders. He moved his hands to frame her face, thumbs stroking over her cheekbones. She moaned in response. Manicured nails trailed over his shoulders, making him shiver. Then her fingers delved into his curls. They both hung on as if the other was a lifeline.<p>

Auggie pulled back slightly. He sucked on her tongue before letting her go. He murmured against her lips, "Hear it?"

Her response was half whine, half questioning.

"That soft wet sound your tongue makes."

Mock-irritated, she tugged on his hair. "I hate you SO hard."

He stole a quick kiss even as he pressed his hips to hers. "How hard?"

All she could do was gasp. He released her face to slide both hands down her body. Annie arched her back, pressing her breasts into his open palms. His kisses fell on her neck. Working his way up to a sensitive spot behind her ear, Auggie whispered, "Steady there."

"Now who's teasing?"

"Not me." He nibbled an earlobe. "I intend to take my time. This is a very difficult lesson and I want to make sure you master it."

"Arrogant ass." She punctuated the insult with a squeeze of his very fine, arrogant, ass. "Auggie. Hey." She cupped his face, turning his sightless eye to face her. "Are you sure about this? I mean, there doesn't need to be a this, but I..."

"Worried?"

"A little." She released him, wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder.

He rested his cheek against her hair. In soft, even tones, right next to her ear, he asked, "What do you do when you're in the field and the op is blown? When you're worried and unsure of your footing?"

Annie smiled. "I listen to the voice in my ear."

"You trust this voice? Trust that he'll bring you home safe and sound?"

"To bring me home, listen to me over-think everything, and to know when I need to just sit and listen to him talk about his day."

His nose nudged her cheek until he felt her lift her head. He kissed her slowly and deeply. "Stop worrying. I'm right here to talk you—both of us—through this."

Annie took her time kissing him, savoring the taste of coffee that lingered in his mouth and the feel of being held by him. "I don't want to screw us up," she finally admitted.

"Annie Walker, since when have you been cautious? Let go. Have some fun and don't worry about tomorrow. I'll still be here."

"K." She traced the sculpted muscles over his chest. He moaned. Her body pressed against his, she sucked on the skin above his collarbone. She let him bend her back against the counter. She let him devour her lips and neck and skim his hands over her breasts.

Auggie had the edges of her tank top in his hands when a knock on the door interrupted them. "Oh yeah, pizza."

"Do we have time?" Her voice was tinged with laughter.

"Just because _you_ don't feed your dates before removing their clothing, doesn't mean I've forgotten how to treat a lady. You should probably answer the door, though." He waived his hand between them, indicating his shirtless chest. "Best not to shock the protective detail."

Annie tossed her hair. "I'm sticking my tongue out at you, Auggie."

"So noted. Now get the food, Walker."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**As I'm not really into writing explicit erotica, I'm going to leave the rest of this "working date" to the imagination of the reader. Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind and write another five chapters, if the mood strikes. :P**

**Thank you all for sticking around, chivying me into updating, and leaving your wonderful comments. I hope you enjoyed the ride. -Krasny**


	18. Chapter 18

She watched the leggy blonde slide into tech-ops, holding coffee for Auggie and Barber. She heard their all-too-normal pleasantries.

"Good morning Agent Walker."

"Good morning Auggie. Hi Barber—here's your latté. Coffee at your eleven o'clock, Auggie."

She watched their hands slide together and apart in a fleeting gesture. Auggie's eyes crinkled at the corners and Annie had a spring to her step.

"You're taking the role of Domestic Protection to a whole new level," an amused voice murmured in her ear.

Joan Campbell turned her head to glower at her husband. "They are sleeping together."

"Since when have you been a prude about inter-agency relationships? Or is it different because this is Auggie and it's serious?"

She turned back to look out her office window. "You think it's serious?"

Arthur chuckled. "I do, and so do you. You wanted this. You wanted something holding Annie here. You wanted something keeping Auggie grounded and not pushing for field work. What's the problem?"

"Don't sit on my desk," Joan snapped as she walked to her seat. Her husband ignored her admonishment, only smiling broader. "My problem is that they will inevitably fall apart and I'll be left with two operatives who cannot work together. My two best operatives having to be moved to other divisions—that's a nightmare, Arthur."

"Well at least they are trying to be discreet. Should I talk with Auggie?"

"I doubt it will do any good. Now, why are you here?"

"Well, I need a favor."

Joan's disbelief was written on her beautiful face. "Favor my ass, Arthur. Which of my agents are you Shanghaiing this time?"

* * *

><p>"I think this is the part where I whine about how we had plans and it is so unfair that your work never gives you any time off." Annie pouted her lips, aware that Auggie would sense her expression even if he couldn't see it.<p>

"Feel free to complain to Joan about how mean old Arthur Campbell has ruined your romantic weekend with your boyfriend," Auggie quipped. "Hey." His hand slid up her back to soothe the tense muscles in her neck. "Come on, this is a weekend over-watch. Nothing life threatening and I'll be home every night."

"Ha! You'll be sleeping on that couch in your office, not eating properly, not sleeping enough—"

Annie's protests were cut off by Auggie's lips sliding over hers. "Stop nagging," he whispered between kisses. "I'm here with you now and I'm tired of talking about work." He deftly moved her hair aside to get at his favorite spot just behind her ear.

She unbuttoned his shirt by feeling her way down the row of buttons, unable to see with his dark curls tickling her nose. Her fingers found the now healed wound along his left side. "Promise you'll eat something besides power bars and coffee?"

"I don't eat the coffee, Annie. I thought I told you to stop talking." He pushed her back against the wall between his bathroom and bedroom doors.

"You said you were tired of talking about work, I never said—emrfh." Her sound of protest made his lips quirk even as he growled and angled his mouth over hers.

Determined to kiss her senseless, Auggie tangled his fingers in her hair and didn't let her come up for breath until her chest was heaving and her balance unsteady. He finally moved back, releasing her head to slide his hands down to her hips. "Steady there."

Annie's mouth formed an "o" of surprise when Auggie's whole body followed his hands. She looked down at her best friend and lover as he knelt in front of her, carefully working her pencil skirt up her thighs.

"What are you…oh,um…Auggie, what are you doing?"

Thumbs now caressing the skin of her newly bared hip-bones, Auggie raised his face and grinned. "It's time you had another lesson in what tongues are for, Miss Walker."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I've had severe writer's block with my three on-going CA stories and most of that is because I just cannot work out how to write these two in the "new" reality of their situation. But this story is so firmly non-canon, now, that I feel free to indulge.**


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